Automatic mine-draining apparatus



(No Model.) i

J. R. WILCOX'& C. D. PARQUHARSON.

AUTOMATIC MINE DRAINING APPARATUS. 038;

Patented Aug. 2, 1881.-

3 V w 7k Inle- UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH R. WILCO X AND CHARLES D. FARQUHARSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALlFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC MINE-DRAINING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 245,038, dated August 2, 1881.

Application filed April 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH R. WILOOX and CHARLES D. FARQUHARSON, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvementin Automatic Mine Draining Apparatus; and we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to an improved apparatus for raising water from mines, wells, &c. The principle of the invention is the same as .that set forth in Letters Patent No. 219,050,

August 26, 1879, heretofore granted to the said Joseph RWilcoX, in that a column of water is made to acconiplish'the result; but the present invention differs from the former one in a simpler construction of its parts,whereby we are on abled to dispense with the cumbersome double pipes and double columns of water therein described, and use but one actuating-column of water and one pipe.

The invention consists, briefly, of two sets of cylinders, each set composed of two cylinders having pistons, the pistons in each set bein g connected so as to move together. One set of cylinders is placed in the mine or well, and the other set is placed at a point outside lower than the position of the first set. A pipe passing from the inside set up the shaft of the mine or, well and over the top down. to the outside set connects the two. This pipe is filled with water. Theinside set is provided with a suction-pipe, the outside with a discharge-pipe. Appropriate weights, valves, and operatin g cocks control and operate the device, the whole of which will be better seen in the following specification. v

The object of our invention is to raise water from mines and other places in such localities as offer facilities for a proper fall, this object being accomplished by a very simple'application of thejheavier partof a column of water to a series ofpist'ons moved by said .water;

The drawing represents a central vertical section of an apparatus to which our improvements have been applied.

A represents a suitable frame set down in the mine or well. Contained within this frame is the secondary frame B, adapted to slide up and down within said frame A. This can be done in any simple manner. This frame B is weighted in any suitable way, for the purpose hereinafter shown. It has an upper cross-head, C, and lower cross-head, D. Supported in the frame A appropriately is the lower cylinder, E, and the upper cylinder, F, having pistons 12, being connected with the lower cross-head, D, and the upper piston, f,with the upper crosshead, C, of the traveling-frame B. The two pistons are thus connected to the same traveling frame, and will operate together. The lower cylinder, E, is provided at its base with a suctionpipe, Gr, connected with the sump in the mine or well, and is provided with an inleflcheck-valve, H.

J represents our operating-pipe. Its end within the well or shaft is connected with the base of the cylinder E, and it is provided with an inlet check-valve, I, near its end. The pipe J is connected with the base of the upper cylinder, F, by a pipe, P, and its communication with said cylinder is always open. This pipe J proceeds up the shaft or Well, and over the top and down the side slope or incline outside to the outside set of cylinders, which set is placed at a point enough below that at which the inside set is placed to insure the operation of the device, as hereinafter shown.

The outside set of cylinders is similar to the inside set. There is a frame, A, having a sliding or traveling frame, 13, weighted as in the other case, and having upper and lower cross-heads, C and D, respectively. There are the lower cylinder, E, and upper cylinder, F, with their pistons c and f, respectively, and secured to the cross-heads D and C, asshown, to cause said pistons to operate together.

The lower cylinder, E, is provided with the exhaust or discharge pipe K, said pipe being carried upward slightly, as shown, so that its mouth will be somewhat above the base of the cylinder E, for the purpose hereinafter shown. The exhaust-pipe K is provided with a stopcock, L. The pipe J is carried down to this set of cylinders, and is connected with thebase of the lower cylinder, E, and is provided with a stop-cock, M, near its end, as shown. It is alsoconnected with the base of the upper cylinder, F, as shown at P, and-its connection therewith is always open.

The outside set of cylinders must be at a point lower than the inside set, to havea heavier column of water in the long arm of the pipe J outside of the mine than in the short arm inside the mine, in order to obtain suiiicient pressure to raise the heavier frame B and operate the outside set of pumps. This will be seen in the following explanation of the operation of the whole device: First fill the entire pipe J and cylinders with water. Suppose the pistons in the outside set of cylinders to have completed their downward stroke and those in the inside set to have completed their upward stroke. The stop-cock Mis closed and the cock L open. The weight of the column of water in the long arm of the pipe J is exerted only upon the piston f of the upper cylinder, F, because of its open connection therewith. The frame B is so made both by its own weight and sufficient additional weight to keep the frame down and prevent the column of water from raising the piston f. Inside the well the frame B is held up, and the piston f, and through it the piston c, are both kept at the top of their respective cylinders by the pressure of the column of water in the short arm of the pipe J because of its open connection with the upper cylinder, F. New, close the exhaust-cock L and open the cockM. Immediately the column of water in the long arm of the pipe J enters into the lower cylinder, E, and exerts its pressure upon the lower piston, e. The pressure of the column, when thus exerted simultaneously upon both pistons c and f, is suilicient, notwithstanding the weighted frame B, to raise both pistons. At the same moment that we open the cock M and the water in the pipe J fills into the lower cylinder, E, the pressure of the column of water in the short arm is relieved from under the piston f in the cylinder F, and the weight of the frame B causes it to descend with both pistons, f and 0, and in descending it forces the column over into the long arm and assists in raising the pistons f and e. YVhen both sets of pistons have completed their strokes close the cock M and open the exhaust-cock L. This relieves the pressure under the lower piston, c. The remaining pressure of the column in the long arm, when exerted under the piston f, is not sufficient to sustain the weight of the frame B, and consequently it begins to descend and forces its pistons on the downward stroke. The piston 0 forces the water inits cylinder E out through the exhaust K. The piston f forces the water in its cylinder F back into the pipe J and shifts the column of water therein, exerting its increased pressure under the piston f in the cylinder F. It is checked in the pipe J by the valve 1, and this leaves the lower cylinder, E, free. The heavyweight of the frame B pressing upon the column of water raises the piston f in the cylinder F, and the piston a going up with it the cylinder E will take water through the pipe G from the sump. As soon as the pistons have completed their strokes sauces close the exhaust-cock L and open M. The outside pistons, c and f, proceed on their upward stroke again, and the pressure being relieved from under the piston f of the inside set, it descends with the piston c, and the water in the cylinder E, which was taken in at the previous upstroke, is forced into the pipe J, and is prevented from returning by the valve 1. Thus the strokes are continued. By opening the cock M and closing L the outside set of pistons make the upstroke and the inside set the downstroke. By closing M and opening L the pressure is taken from under the lower piston, c, of the outside set, and the weight of the frame B causes the set to make the downstroke, and in so doing to force the water in the lower cylinder, E, out and to shift the column in J and cause the inside set of pistons to make the upstroke. It will be seen from this that the weight upon the traveling frame B must be greater than that upon the traveL ing frame B, because the descent of the former must exert sufficient pressure upon the column of water in the pipe J to raise the latter. The weight of B, when added to the weight of the column of water in the long arm of J, will be sutficient to raise B. Then, again, the weights upon each frame must be sufficient to cause their descent when the pressure of the column of water in the pipe J is partially removed. These frames B andB we have shown as constructed herein for the purpose of carrying the necessary weights. The weight may be in the form of rocks or pig-iron bars or any convenient suitable substance.

To the successful operation of this invention it is necessary to keep the pipe J always full of water. This it is practically impossible to do because of leakage, and were this waste to continue it would so lose stroke as to finally stop the machine. In order, therefore,to keep this pipe full and supply the deficiency caused by waste we construct the lower cylinder, E, of the inside set, into which the wateris drawn, a little larger than the other cylinders, thus taking in enough water to compensate the waste and keep the pipe full. To regulate this supply we have constructed the following device:

Upon the highest portion of the pipe we let in a safety-receiver, N, the top of which is provided with a valve, 0, weighted and constructed in the same manner as any ordinary safety-valve. Its operation is thus: The ca pacity of the cylinder E cannotbe so nicely regulated as to supply the exact surplus of water needed. It must supply a little more. If the pipe J were sealed tight this surplus would soon cause the pistons to be unable to complete their full strokes; but with this safety-valve the weight of the frames will force the surplus out, and thus relieve the pipe. We are thus enabled to know that the pipe J is always full.

Our object in having the mouth of the exhaust-pipe K higher than the base of the cylinder E" is that sufficient water may always remain in the pipe J below the cock M and under the piston e to allow the said piston to instantly take its stroke.

It is obvious that we need not confine ourselves to corresponding sets of two cylinders. We can have more corresponding sets. We can have four or five-sets of two cylinders each in the well and the corresponding number without. In that case we would arrange them in convenient proximity and make the pipe J large enough to supply them all. We would place the cock M on the pipe J and lead to all the cylinders from below said cock, thus operating them with one cock. Inside the well we could have as many suction-pipes as. receiving-oylinders, or one main one containing the check-valve H, and lead thence to them all.

In the practical operation of this device it will frequently be found inconvenient, and perhapsimpossible, to obtain aposition 10 w enough for the outside set of cylinders and for the length of pipe J necessary to operate the device. The deeper the mine or well the proportionally lower must be the outside set of cylinders, in

order to obtain the requisite length of the long arm of pipe J. When such is the case we can obtain a position as much lower than the inside set of cylinders as possible, and supply the extra pressure needed to assist the stroke of the traveling frame B with the aid of steam or other extraneous pressure. In the use of such pressure it is obvious that verylittle will be needed, because. as the limit of such press- ,ure is reached the device itself would become impracticable. This will be governed by the circumstances of each case. By suitable connection and mechanism theaetion of the cooks water-containin g pipe, J, connected with said cylinders, when arranged and used substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. The device for raising water, consisting of the set of cylinders E-and F connected with the sump, with their pistons c and f, adapted to move together, the inlet or suction pipe G, with its valve H, the set of cylinders E and F outside, and set at a point lower than the first set inside, with their pistons e and f adapted to move together, the exhaust-pipe K, with its cock L, and the water-containing pipe J, having the valve I and stop-cock M, and connected with the said cylinders, when arranged and used substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. In combination with the corresponding sets of cylinders E F E F and their respective pistons, and the water-containing pipe J, the safety-valve 0, when arranged and used substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4. In combination with the corresponding sets of cylinders E F E F and their respective pistons e f e f, the sliding or traveling frames B B, to which the said pistons are, respectively, attached, whereby each set may be made to move together, substantially as and for the uses and purposes herein described.

5. In combination with the corresponding sets of cylinders E F E F and their respective pistons e f e f, and the water-containing pipe J, the traveling weighted frames B B, whereby pressure is exerted upon said pistons, and the column of water in the pipe J to shift said column, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

JOSEPH R. WILOOX. CHARLES D. FARQUHARSON. Witnesses.

WM. F. BOOTH, S. H. NoURsE. 

